Oregon is overflowing with things to do as the temperature warms up. Music festivals, plays, sporting events and dinners. The only thing that can make these events even better is wine. Wine really does go with everything, and we have put together a quick reference guide for upcoming events taking place in our great state from north to south, east to west, vineyard to city. A few of our favorites include more information to whet your palate. Get your calendar out, it’s time to start making some plans!
Rogue Valley Wine & Food Festival
Friday, April 19th and Saturday, April 20th
Medford
Warrenton Astoria Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival
Friday, April 26th – Sunday, April 28th
Astoria
A Taste of Ashland
Saturday, April 27th and Sunday, 28th
Ashland
Yamhill-Carlton AVA Winery Tasting
Saturday, May 4th
Anne Amie Vineyards, Carlton
2nd Annual Oregon Chardonnay Symposium
Saturday, May 4th
In its second year, this exciting event explores the emergence of quality Chardonnay in Oregon. The event will be hosted by Oregonian wine writer and author Katherine Cole, and features the wines and winemakers of Arterberry Maresh, Big Table Farms, Crowley, Division Winemaking Company, Durant Vineyards, EIEIO, Matello, and Walter Scott. Tickets are $60 and include seminar, technical tasting and extended tasting.
Red Ridge Farms, Dayton
Saturday, May 11th
Grants Pass
3rd Annual Columbia Gorge Wine & Pear Fest
Saturday, May 18th and Sunday, May 19th
Hood River
Applegate Valley UnCorked
Sunday, May 19th
Applegate Valley
Memorial Day Weekend
Saturday May 25th and Sunday May 26th
It has become a long-standing tradition for wineries throughout Oregon, including over 300 wineries in the Willamette Valley, to open their doors and welcome guests from all over the world for this fun-filled weekend. Many wineries that are not regularly open for visitors, in addition to those that are, will pull out all the stops and offer tastings. Participating wineries usually pour their new releases, as well as a few special treats such as older vintages or smaller production single vineyard wines (available to taste and buy). There is usually a fee, which always includes the tastings and often includes gourmet snacks, winery or vineyard tours and sometimes even a wine glass to take home to commemorate the weekend.
Oregon Wine Regions
Rose Days
Saturday, June 8th and Sunday June 9th
St. Paul
PDX Urban Wineries Group Tasting
Sunday, June 9th
Portland
Deep Roots Coalition Tasting
Tuesday, June 11th
Portland
McMinnville AVA Tasting
Saturday, June 22nd
McMinnville
Taste Washington
Monday, June 24th
Portland
Thursday, June 27th
Portland
Historic Deepwood Estate Wine & Jazz Fest
Saturday, June 29th
Salem
Fine Wine One-Half Marathon
Sunday, July 14th
Dundee
http://www.fueledbyfinewine.com
International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC)
Friday, July 26th – Sunday, July 28th
This celebration showcases Pinot Noirs not just from Oregon but also from around the globe. The three-day event includes out of this world meals like the grand dinner, a traditional salmon bake and the sparkling brunch. Days are full of tastings and visits to wineries where winemakers engage participants in hands-on seminars and tastings. Tickets for he full weekend are just under $1000 but individual tickets to the Salmon bake and the Walkabout tasting on the final day are available as well.
McMinnville
Willamette Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet
First Four Weekends in August
Entering into its fifth season, the Willamette Shakespeare festival is fun for the whole family. Plays are preformed not in a theater but in a picturesque vineyard where thespians dispense their version of the famous playwrights most popular pieces. This year the troop is taking on the classic, Romeo and Juliet. Bring a blanket, a picnic and some cash for wine, which is available for sale at the events. Can you say Date night?
Stoller Vineyards, Montinore Estate, Willamette Valley Vineyards, and a to-be-announced location in Portland
http://www.willametteshakespeare.org
Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Labor Day Weekend Winery Open House
Saturday, August 3rd – Monday, September 2nd
Columbia Gorge
http://www.columbiagorgewine.com/events.htm
The Bite of Oregon
Friday, August 9th – Sunday, August 11th
Portland
Forest Grove UnCorked
Saturday, August 17th
Forest Grove
Oregon State Fair Pairings Event -Wines, Cuisine & Music
Friday, August 23rd
Salem
http://www.oregonstatefair.org
Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon
Sunday, September 1st
Question: What better reward is there for 13.1 miles of running on country roads than the satisfaction of a job well done? Answer: A glass of wine (or two) paired with that sense of satisfaction. The Fine Wine half marathon starts at Stoller Vineyards in Dundee and winds around the Willamette Valley’s countryside, taking you by vineyards, pastures, and wineries where you will finish in ever-quaint Carlton with a festive post-run party in front of Ken Wright Cellars. The festivities include wine tasting, food, live music and beer.
Dundee – Carlton
http://destinationraces.com/runoregon/
Bounty of the County
Sunday, September 8th
Sokol Blosser Winery, Dayton
http://yamhillenrichmentsociety.org/?page_id=266
Carlton Crush Harvest Festival
Saturday, September 14th
Carlton
Savor Southern Oregon
Saturday, September 14th
Portland
Feast
Thursday September 19th – Sunday September 22nd
Portland
St Josef’s Grape Stomping Festival
Saturday, September 21st and Sunday, Sept 22nd
Canby
http://www.stjosefswinery.com/events-tastings
https://1859oregonmagazine.com/calendar?eventTitle=3rd-annual-columbia-gorge-wine-pear-festival–1365601403–323